


Late nights, alone with you

by jisukki



Category: ONF (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Childhood Friends, Comfort/Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mentioned Shim Jaeyoung | Wyatt, Pining, Soft Ending, angst? but not really, i guess?, not mentioned but hyoj's new friends are changyoon and minkyun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:34:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24408889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jisukki/pseuds/jisukki
Summary: Seungjoon had been pining. Hard. For many years.Until one late night, when exhaustion got the best of him and all his feelings spilled out of him without him getting a say in it.Fortunately, Hyojin always listens.
Relationships: Kim Hyojin/Lee Seungjoon | J-Us
Comments: 3
Kudos: 105





	Late nights, alone with you

* * *

Seungjoon and Hyojin had been attached at the hip for as long as Seungjoon could remember — and, quite frankly, he wouldn't have it any other way. He knew he could be insufferable at times, yet Hyojin always put up with his shenanigans (and vice-versa).

Hyojin seemed to be the only really stable thing in Seungjoon's life, always there by his side and definitely always at home, waiting for him to return to their shared apartment from work. Then, once Hyojin's place seemed to be getting shaken up, Seungjoon was convinced his life might just start falling apart piece by piece.

While Seungjoon worked, Hyojin went to college, majoring in business management, and lately the latter had gotten quite close with some other students he had met. Seungjoon, on the other hand didn't have that many friends. Just two, in fact: Hyojin and Jaeyoung. He had met Jaeyoung in their high school's dance club and still kept in touch with him, seeing as he let Seungjoon use his dance studio for free. Hence why, when Hyojin started going out with his new friends, leaving Seungjoon with no one at home waiting for him, the latter started feeling like maybe he wasn't enough for his best friend.

Of course, he knew it was stupid and selfish. Hyojin was allowed to have more friends besides him, especially considering he went to college, where he was surrounded by all kinds of people all the time. Furthermore, he was an incredible person (in Seungjoon's _very non-biased_ opinion), so of course he'd make friends easily. It still stung a bit, though, feeling like Hyojin was slipping through his fingertips, as if at any moment he could realise his new friends were tremendously better than Seungjoon and he left him behind just like that.

Seungjoon feared abandonment as much as the next person, but being abandoned by Hyojin in particular seemed even more terrifying.  
Seungjoon didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to think about anything at all, as he laid on the floor of Jaeyoung's dance studio at an ungodly hour, hoping to tire out his restless brain with dance. However, it didn't work out as he planned. Exhausted out of his mind, his brain ended up roaming free, into his deepest thoughts. Unfortunately for him, he simply didn't have the energy to keep them at bay anymore.

He'd tell himself the reason he feared Hyojin leaving him for good was the fact that they had been friends for so long and he was such a constant presence in his life. He wasn't wrong, but he wasn't completely right either, and he knew it. Therefore, he kept part of his reasoning locked like Pandora's box, for he knew that if he dwelt on that thought for more than a minute he'd drive himself insane. But now, all his locks had been undone, and his mind moved faster than he had done while dancing.

He knew that, somewhere along the way, halfway through all the years they had known each other for, his feelings for Hyojin had altered themselves, ever so slightly, slow and steady. Once Seungjoon realised it, they hit him like a truck, ravishing his insides. He then knew he had to somehow keep them in check, forget about it, just ignore his feelings until they went away. He'd rather have to deal with the tug of his heart strings every time he saw Hyojin being a bit too friendly with someone else than having to do it without even being able to be around Hyojin, which he'd assume would be the outcome if he ever revealed his true feelings to his friend. Not that Hyojin would shove him away, but he'd end up doing it to himself, too embarrassed to face Hyojin after being rejected, which in his eyes was the only possible scenario.

Recently, Hyojin had been spending his nights with his new friends, either studying or living it up, and Seungjoon didn't appreciate the emptiness of their shared apartment when his best friend wasn't there with him. So, he'd spend his nights at Jaeyoung's dance studio, to ease his loneliness and put his mind at rest.   
Seungjoon left a couple dozen minutes past two in the morning, drenched in sweat and drowning in his worst thoughts about his true feelings. When he got home, he certainly wasn't expecting the sight that greeted him: Hyojin sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, all lights off and just the TV on.

Once the front door opened, Hyojin's eyes darted to it, although his body didn't move. Seungjoon was taken by surprise when he heard the TV playing and once he walked two steps further, he stopped dead in his tracks. "Hyojin?" The name came out as barely more than an exhale.

The faux redhead turned his head to his friend, sporting a small smile. "Hey, it's late, where were you?" The smile turned into a frown.

"I was, uh—" Seungjoon searched for an answer, one that wouldn't be too much trouble. He couldn't actually say what he had been doing — exhausting himself so he didn't have to think about Hyojin — so he'd have to settle for half a lie. "I was at Jaeyoung's dance studio." 

"Alone?" Seungjoon nodded. "This late? I was getting worried..." Hyojin's frown still hadn't abandoned his face. 

The younger one disposed of his shoes and, putting his slippers on, walked towards the couch. "You're the one who's been staying out late, I don't understand why you're worried."

"Yeah, but I had company. And you weren't here last night either, I was starting to think you were up to something shady," Hyojin said, half jokingly in an attempt to brighten the mood.

"Last night? You were here last night?" Seungjoon's surprise was clear in his face, even in the badly lit room. 

Hyojin nodded. "When did you suddenly decide to start going to the dance studio? You used to always be home with me." 

"Since you stopped being home at night." The words left Seungjoon's mouth before he could react. He felt like he was unintentionally accusing his friend of something; he wanted to have worded it better but he didn't give himself the time to do so.

Hyojin made a little confused sound and slightly tilted his head to the side, staring at the boy in front of him, as if it would help him understand the situation better. "Why?"

This time, Seungjoon bit his tongue before he could say something he'd regret. But he didn't know what to say, any answer that came to his mind sounded too pathetic to him. Either that or it'd completely give his feelings away. He just kept his eyes fixated on his hands, while Hyojin patiently waited for an answer, his eyes almost looking hopeful.

However, seeing his friend so unusually quiet was strange for Hyojin. "Seungjoon? Are you okay? You're awfully quiet. I just asked you something, did you hear?" The latter ever so slowly nodded. "So?"

Seungjoon's words came out in the form of a whisper. "I didn't like being home without you..." Hyojin asked him to repeat, seeing as he wasn't able to understand him the first time. "I said... I didn't like being home without you."

Once his words sunk in, all Hyojin could muster was a slight _"oh"_.

The brunet just wanted to dig a hole for himself to hide in, as he felt his friend's eyes bore into him. "You could have just said something, Joon."

"I didn't want to. You could be bothered by it and leave me for your new friends once and for all." Unfortunately for him, Seungjoon didn't have the time to hold himself back again. 

"What?" It seemed like with every sentence he pronounced, Hyojin just got more confused. The previous hopeful glint in his eyes now gone. 

"Sorry, it's not like that it's just..." Seungjoon took in a shaky breath, to gather his thoughts. "Your new friends. You seem to get along really well so I assume they're really good people and fun to be around and when compared to me—"

Hyojin interrupted him. "Seungjoon, why are you even comparing them to yourself? I'm sorry I've been away lately, but I'd never choose them over you, you're my best friend."

His words seemed to strike all kinds of chords inside Seungjoon. He was relieved and happy for being acknowledged as his best friend, but at the same time it seemed like somehow he was expecting something more, which he was aware was very delusional on his end.

The clock ticked away, and the later it got, the less inhibitions Seungjoon had. Which was bad, very bad. "Your best friend?" Hyojin nodded, the seemingly hopeful gaze back in his eyes. The younger sighed, resting his head against the couch while still facing the faux redhead. "I'm tired..."

Hyojin smiled. "Go to bed, it's late and you're probably sore from dancing." 

Seungjoon shook his head, closing his eyes. "No, I'm tired of thinking about you." Hyojin's eyes widened, but this time the hopeful glint remained. "I can't stand being in this apartment without you when I know you're out with someone else. That's why I go to Jaeyoung's dance studio and just _dance, dance, dance_ so I don't have the time nor the energy to think about the possibility of losing you or think about all my feelings for you. I'm tired of sitting here, time and time again, as your best friend and just that. I'm so tired, Jinnie" The words just flew right out of Seungjoon. Based on the speed of his speech, one could have wondered if he hadn't had one too many drinks. But he hadn't, he was as sober as it could get, just stupidly drunk on love. 

Hyojin's lips slowly shaped themselves into a caring smile. He stared at his friend for no longer than a couple seconds but it felt like eternities for both of them. Seungjoon was starting to think he had fallen asleep and it was all a dream. Finally, Hyojin spoke up, his voice soft as velvet. "Joon, can I try something?"

Seungjoon just nodded, his eyes still closed. Gently, Hyojin reached out towards his face and cupped it. At first, Seungjoon thought he was just petting him, like he'd do at times when he was being goofy or trying to make Seungjoon feel better, but he wasn't in the mood for playing and he definitely didn't want his pity. But then, the weight on the couch shifted ever so slightly and, next thing he knew, he felt a soft pair of lips on his own. His eyes darted open, he straightened his posture, and he saw Hyojin's face right there, against his.  
Their lips moved in sync, as if they knew it'd happen, and Seungjoon was sure he was in one of his wildest dreams.

Hyojin pulled back not too long after, still smiling fondly. "You okay?" He asked once he noticed Seungjoon's stunned expression.

"Hyojin... Wha—Why?" Seungjoon's hand unconsciously went up to his lips, as if to feel the ghost of Hyojin's.

"I felt like you were trying to tell me something, did I get it wrong?" The brunet just shook his head. "Good, I'm glad. I was waiting for the day you'd finally say something but I was starting to think it'd never come."

"Since when have you known? How?" His words left him in a rush, influenced by the thrill of the previous moment.

"I didn't, I just had a feeling and hoped I was right." It was Seungjoon's turn to look surprised. "Since when have you liked me?"

The younger just shrugged. "I don't really know, it just happened sometime ago and I don't even know why or when.

"I thought you were straight." Hyojin's smile transformed into a goofy smirk.

"So did I. Just not for you, apparently." The older wholeheartedly laughed at his words. "What does this mean?"

Hyojin glanced at the clock on the other side of the room. "Well, it's pretty late now, so I guess we should resume our talk tomorrow. Just know, I was waiting for this, okay?"

The brunet smiled and nodded, as they both got up to go to their respective rooms. Once they turned everything off in the living room and started going their separate ways, Hyojin grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "Sleep with me tonight, please?"

Seungjoon accepted his request without any second thoughts and so they went into Hyojin's bedroom, where they slept like when they were kids with nightmares and found comfort in each other's presence. 

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this many, many months ago - in fact, just checked and I wrote it one year and thirteen days ago, ah - and, like the delusional fool I am, I thought it was longer
> 
> so, belated apologies for the shortness. overall, belated apologies for whatever this was (in my eyes: half-assed, self-indulgent bs)
> 
> also I can't write summaries for the life of me. help. I almost published this without one but it didn't look quite right, so I gifted you all a half-assed summary, apologies³
> 
> still, I hope you enjoyed it! stay safe and healthy y'all


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